Do you ever wish there were more hours in a day?  Life can become quite overwhelming.  There are deadlines to meet.  There are bills that have to be paid.  There are appointments to be kept.  There are assets that have to be maintained such as houses and cars.  There are relationships that have to be nourished.  And how do we ever find time to properly take care of ourselves?  To live a healthy life, we have to eat right and exercise. 

Do you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed and losing perspective?  I do quite often. 

God has given me a verse in His Word that puts everything back in perspective.  I want to share it with you today so that you can glean from its wonderful truth. 

(2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 

Wow!  This is the greatest double paradox in history.  It is powerful and it puts everything in perspective.  Understanding it will change our life and the way we live it.

GOD ARRANGED FOR JESUS TO BE MADE SIN
It’s all about divine justice, divine wrath, divine self-sacrifice and divine love.  Because of God’s divine justice, His reaction to sin is divine wrath.  God in His infinite wisdom decided that the penalty of sin would be death and that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 11:22 NIV)  But the blood had to come from a perfect sacrifice; one that did not know sin.  That would be the only thing that would appease God’s wrath.  The only one that could fulfill this was God Himself because only God is sinless.  But yet God could not die.  So God came into our world.  I get so excited every time I think about it.  It amazes me that God left the portals of heaven and came into our world.  That is how much God loves us.  God has gone out of His way to save us from His wrath.

Only Jesus could be the perfect sacrifice for our sins; a sacrificial lamb without spot and without blemish.  At the cross, Jesus took upon Himself every sin we ever committed.  God’s Word says (Isaiah 53:6 NIV) “the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  At the cross, Jesus took upon Himself God’s divine judgment and God’s divine wrath that we deserve so that we would be shielded from God’s judgment and His wrath.  Beloved, our sins were charged to Jesus’ account.  It doesn’t sound right.  He was innocent, we are guilty.  We deserve the punishment, but God took it upon Himself instead.  It was divine self-sacrifice.  That’s how much God loves us.        

GOD ARRANGED FOR PEOPLE TO BE MADE RIGHTEOUS
Again God’s Word says (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  Jesus’ righteousness was credited to the account of all who would believe on Him.  It all happened at the cross of Christ.  

MANY PEOPLE IN OUR DAY HAVE A CONFUSED UNDERSTANDING OF GOD
Many today believe that God is just waiting for us to mess up so He can pour out judgment.  They live in fear and they teach fear to others in believing that everything bad that happens is God’s judgment being poured out.  They tie every disaster that happens to the judgment of God.  There are consequences of sin that we bring on ourselves, but God is not pouring out His judgment on us through everything bad that happens.  

These people are still living under the old covenant instead of the new covenant.  They are confused because they do not understand what God did for us at the cross.  At the cross, Jesus took our sin upon Him.  At the cross, Jesus shielded us from God’s perfect justice and His wrath.  At the cross, Jesus took our punishment.  Beloved, it is at the cross we see a loving God drawing lost people to Himself.  Since the cross we have been living under God’s grace.  God’s heart is that all be saved and come to Him.  Jesus is coming again for those who have denied self, taken up their cross and followed Him.  The best is yet to come!

DRAW CLOSE TO THE CROSS
Beloved we must draw close to the cross.  Cling to the simplicity of the cross.  Realize and believe everything that God did for you at the cross.  Refuse to live in fear.  Decide to live in total victory through Jesus.  Remember God’s Word that says (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 

And always remember the cross. 

Remembering the cross will help you keep perspective no matter what comes your way!

Know that you are loved,

@PastorGreg
Founder
www.LovingGodFellowship.org